I'm going to do a diary too :)

gerbiljo

hey young one- I completely missed your reply!! sorry
I completely agree regarding time limit. If I had a nice little part time job and could have another baby now I would put the mortgage on the back burner and plod on. I guess I'm trying to be greedy and plod on. If I had a baby now I'd lose my salary for a year and not want to return again and probably the mortgage wouldn't shrink at all so I feel I have to go for it all or nothing. Husbands income provides our needs so what I earn is extra, hes is catching me but I still earn a bit more

Iris, I think when you are expecting number 6 that being a sahm is definately the best option I justify working as I 'hope' my little girl will not remember me not being around, (she is nearly 23 months).

I am lucky in that my future does have options, more places are offering part time now and I guess I could always find someone in the same situation and do a job share etc. In time I would love to have a house with more land and ideally enough to have some stables and rent them out, or perhaps have my own cattery or even try and build a second property to rent out that could be fopr my daughter if she wanted it when shes older.... but I don't think about it much because I have no idea how I could get it without working or a new mortgage haha...

Today is decorating day!
I continued the spending day by buying our daughter a ladybird fairy dress for her birthday...... not very MSE of me I'm afraid!

CathT

Good luck with the decorating.

I'm the breadwinner too (not a huge diff in salaries but I work 15 fewer hours a week) so although the pressure is on me I want to be MF so that DH can reduce hours (maybe then I can have another baby?)

Great news on being paid for working late, in my line of work they expect you to do it for free!

[Deleted User]

Hey Jo
Its a tough one isnt it? I too (when I was working full time anyway) was the breadwinner, but then cut down my hours due to health and also stressful work situation , and finally ended up off sick....so in truth, for me , being the "breadwinner" in this situation has been a false economy (this past yr anyway) my biggest motivation for being MF was so that I could do anything I wanted and that made me happy work-wise, and if something happened to either of us work or health wise we wouldnt lose our home (or at the very least could survive on one salary , whosever that was!).... If that became an option in another way that took slightly longer (eg p/t work or a lower paid job I enjoyed) then I am also happy to go that way- for me , the big push in MF has been a horrible work situation and never wanting to "have to" be tied to that again.... I think if I was happier in work and it therefore seemed a "long term" option (Im not even 30 yet so it really has to be!) then the drive to be MF wouldnt be as intense, tho I would still pay off what I could and wouldnt want the banks making thousands off me in interest!

maybe something to think about, but of course with babies etc.. in the equation it does change the situation I know..

tyo

ps ladybird dress sounds soooo cute!!

gerbiljo

Cath- yes normally I don't get paid it is expected, though it has happened couple of times lately so I thought I would ask, although strictly speaking now I have managed to get a 48hour a week contract (used to have to opt out) so I really shouldn't have to persistantly stay late I don't normally get overtime so am pleased. Unpaid over time is no fun! I agree I'd love for me and my hubby to both work part time- how wonderful!

The young one; I agree its completely false economy I was also off sick for stress at work but not for a great amount of time (although I really struggled longterm), after I had my daughter I applied under the 'right to apply for flexible working' and managed to get the 48hour a week contract under the theory that after having a baby and suffering with work related stress they would be unreasonable to refuse this, although I still needed an employment solicitor to get even this, I am very lucky as I am the only one in my workplace with this priviledge. I have to say that perhaps the distraction of having a daughter has generally speaking made my job less stressful to me as I have been back a year and been less stressed than usually I would be in a week previously, either that or I can now deal with it better? I agree that longterm options do make sense when you are younger, I guess I am now determined to see it through as I'm nearly a third of the way through the time I need to complete my challenge, however the longer I stick at it the less important it is for me to stay, for example if worse came to the worse we could lengthen our mortgage term and it be payable on one wage, of course I don't want to do this tho especially now! I do feel now that I am coping with work though that I am at a time when I would like to look for a job that suits me better so I get to be more of a part of my daughters life as currently I lose most of every evening.

Hubby is decorating as we speak.
We now have guests for takeaway tonight, so we really have gone off the rails!!!

gerbiljo

We did well on our decorating! The hall is as finished as it can be now and the bathroom ceiling is primed. Hubby has confirmed the builder for the first full week in october. We have some preparation work to do which will keep us busy up until they get the money to distract me from my lack of repayment this month. Hurry on November.

We had some unexpected costs in the garden centre as we had to buy some pots as some of my plants have to be dug up for the building and I want to keep them then put them back later, were going to try and get some mud though rather than compost for them!!

Of our ebay items 1 sold. Someone requested to come round and get it and offered £15 which we were more than happy with. I felt bad in the end though as the bidding hadn't gone up much (we took it off early) but they might of been able to get a better bargain if they'd waited (though there were a few watchers), plus they brought two £10 notes and I only had £2 change so I gave them some of my girls eggs. At I sold something ...almost paid for the chinese saturday night haha

No pizzas won this week!

Plans for the next couple of weekends are; 1) sort out drainage, 2) finish bathroom ceiling 3) fit glass in the stairs 4) fit acrylic in shower, if we get all that done I will be over the moon! Once the foundations are done we are going to sort out our garden wall and sort some pipes out in the hall, so hopefully will be busy on the run up to xmas.

My parents also confirmed I can skip our payment this month so everything seems to be in order. Will update when I have some more news

pammyj74

I'm shattered just reading all that!
Good luck with getting it all done. Dont wish November too soon I am not nearly enough ready for xmas yet and September has crept up and nearly gone already. I dont know where the year has gone!

gerbiljo

haha, i get a bit carried away!

Update on pizza, may have won one afterall, will find out and update

gerbiljo

I just have to add, that when talking to my mum yesterday it seems that I thought I owed her £1000 less than I actually do... so I have updated my signature to reflect this in the total owed amount! 123 not 124, though of course we have the credit card now but I can't be counting that in (sorry cheating!)

OOOh my daughters fairy bug dress come today, I will get her to try it later...excited!!

vl2588

TMake sure you take a photo

gerbiljo

What an idiot I just wrote a long message and forgot to hit 'reply'

We did take some piccies but she was too wriggly so I need to take more!

Payday today and no money as yet, I would usually be frustrated but seeing as I can't pay it off I am doing ok as it will only sit in an account for me to stare at everyday and be frustrated. I hope I can override the urge to tranfer it!! so easy when the accounts are all together.

Expenses....I have had some more fimo delivered today as a treat so I can get close to finishing my mosaic. We will need to buy some compost after all as hubbys dad has put weedkiller all on his soil so we don't want to risk pinching some of that. Also 3 for 2 on toys at argos and 20% off early learning happyland...will try to resist!

Got enough nectar points to go out for an all expenses paid meal now at ASK for our daughters second birthday! This is just over 5 weeks away. The EDF helps with the points tho we are owing on the electric...grrrrrrr I blame SKY!

Finally have to say day to day living and counting down til payday has been eased by having a credit card, I'm not even dreading the 5 week month! Will try and do a fantastic shop tomorrow- final tesco bragain voucher then will be back to ASDA! it is cheaper for us longterm.

Lots going on again this weekend... must finish bathroom ceiling and start prepping for building work, watch this space!